Robert Moncel
Encyclopedia
Robert William Moncel, OC
, DSO
, OBE
, CD
(1917–2007) was a Lieutenant-General
of the Canadian Army and former Vice Chief of the Defence Staff. He was the youngest general officer in the Canadian Army when promoted to Brigadier General
on August 17, 1944, at the age of 27.
, Bishop's College School
and McGill University
. He served as an officer with the Victoria Rifles of Canada.
broke out, Moncel went to Europe
with the Royal Canadian Regiment (RCR). In May 1940, he was ordered along with the RCR to France
to reinforce the British Expeditionary Force
facing the German blitzkrieg
. Soon however, Lieutenant
Moncel, who commanded a Bren gun carrier platoon
, was ordered to retreat to the French coast. When being evacuated, he was ordered to destroy his equipment to save it from German hands, but Moncel, with his cool judgement, managed to evacuate the Bren Gun carriers. This act caught the eyes of his superiors and he was promoted to Captain.
In 1941, he finished first on a staff course under the command of Guy Simonds
, and was promoted to major
in 1942, and lieutenant-colonel in January 1943. Moncel became the commanding officer of 18th Armoured Car Regiment (12th Manitoba Dragoons). Later, Moncel was posted as the General Staff Officer 1 of the II Canadian Corps, where he reorganized its general staff. Here, he was made an officer of the Order of the British Empire
(OBE) and a chevalier of the Legion d'honneur
(receiving the Croix de guerre
with Palme in the process). In August, 1944, he was promoted to brigadier general
, the youngest ever Canadian to achieve that rank.
In the Normandy Campaign
, he was the commanding officer of the 4th Canadian Armoured Brigade
until the end of the war in 1945. During this, Moncel won the Distinguished Service Order
(DSO) for his leadership of Tiger Group during the battle of Hochwald Forest, when the II Canadian Corps launched Operation Blockbuster
. From 1947 to 1949, he was the Director of Military Training, Army Headquarters in Ottawa
. From 1949 to 1950, he attended the National War College
in Washington, DC. From 1951 to 1953, he was the Senior Canadian Army Liaison Officer in England
. From 1954 to 1956, he was the Deputy Chief of General Staff. From 1957 to 1958, he was the Senior Canadian Military Officer, International Truce Commission in Indochina
. From 1958 to 1960, he was the Commander of the 3rd Canadian Infantry Brigade
at Camp Gagetown
. From 1960 to 1963, he was Quartermaster general
. From 1963 to 1964, he was the Commander-in-Chief Eastern Command. From 1965 to 1966, he was the Vice Chief of the Defence Staff. He retired in 1966 prior to unification of the armed services, which resulted in the formation of the Canadian Forces
. In 1967, he was the co-ordinator for Visits of Heads of State.
In 1967, Lieutenant-General Moncel was invested as an Officer of the Order of Canada
. He died at Veterans’ Memorial Hospital, Halifax, Nova Scotia, on December 10, 2007, in his 91st year.
Order of Canada
The Order of Canada is a Canadian national order, admission into which is, within the system of orders, decorations, and medals of Canada, the second highest honour for merit...
, DSO
Distinguished Service Order
The Distinguished Service Order is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other parts of the British Commonwealth and Empire, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat.Instituted on 6 September...
, OBE
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
, CD
Canadian Forces Decoration
The Canadian Forces Decoration is a Canadian award bestowed upon members of the Canadian Forces who have completed twelve years of military service, with certain conditions. By convention, it is also given to the Governor General of Canada upon his or her appointment as viceroy, which includes the...
(1917–2007) was a Lieutenant-General
Lieutenant-General (Canada)
In the Canadian Forces, the rank of lieutenant-general is an Army or Air Force rank equal to a vice-admiral of the Navy. A lieutenant-general is a general officer, the equivalent of a Naval flag officer. A lieutenant-general is senior to a major general or rear-admiral, and junior to a general or...
of the Canadian Army and former Vice Chief of the Defence Staff. He was the youngest general officer in the Canadian Army when promoted to Brigadier General
Brigadier General
Brigadier general is a senior rank in the armed forces. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries, usually sitting between the ranks of colonel and major general. When appointed to a field command, a brigadier general is typically in command of a brigade consisting of around 4,000...
on August 17, 1944, at the age of 27.
Early life
Born in Montreal, Quebec, he was educated at Selwyn House SchoolSelwyn House School
Selwyn House School is a private independent boys' school located in Westmount, Quebec. Boys can attend from Kindergarten through to Grade 11. The school was founded in 1908 by Englishman Captain Algernon Lucas...
, Bishop's College School
Bishop's College School
This article is about the school in Canada. Alternatively, visit Diocesan College in Cape Town, South Africa.Bishop's College School is a private school in Lennoxville, Quebec, Canada....
and McGill University
McGill University
Mohammed Fathy is a public research university located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The university bears the name of James McGill, a prominent Montreal merchant from Glasgow, Scotland, whose bequest formed the beginning of the university...
. He served as an officer with the Victoria Rifles of Canada.
World War II
When World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
broke out, Moncel went to Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
with the Royal Canadian Regiment (RCR). In May 1940, he was ordered along with the RCR to France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
to reinforce the British Expeditionary Force
British Expeditionary Force (World War II)
The British Expeditionary Force was the British force in Europe from 1939–1940 during the Second World War. Commanded by General Lord Gort, the BEF constituted one-tenth of the defending Allied force....
facing the German blitzkrieg
Blitzkrieg
For other uses of the word, see: Blitzkrieg Blitzkrieg is an anglicized word describing all-motorised force concentration of tanks, infantry, artillery, combat engineers and air power, concentrating overwhelming force at high speed to break through enemy lines, and, once the lines are broken,...
. Soon however, Lieutenant
Lieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
Moncel, who commanded a Bren gun carrier platoon
Platoon
A platoon is a military unit typically composed of two to four sections or squads and containing 16 to 50 soldiers. Platoons are organized into a company, which typically consists of three, four or five platoons. A platoon is typically the smallest military unit led by a commissioned officer—the...
, was ordered to retreat to the French coast. When being evacuated, he was ordered to destroy his equipment to save it from German hands, but Moncel, with his cool judgement, managed to evacuate the Bren Gun carriers. This act caught the eyes of his superiors and he was promoted to Captain.
In 1941, he finished first on a staff course under the command of Guy Simonds
Guy Simonds
Lieutenant General Guy Granville Simonds, CC, CB, CBE, DSO, CD was a Canadian Army officer who commanded the II Canadian Corps during World War II. He served as acting commander of the First Canadian Army, leading the Allied forces to victory in the Battle of the Scheldt in 1944...
, and was promoted to major
Major
Major is a rank of commissioned officer, with corresponding ranks existing in almost every military in the world.When used unhyphenated, in conjunction with no other indicator of rank, the term refers to the rank just senior to that of an Army captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel. ...
in 1942, and lieutenant-colonel in January 1943. Moncel became the commanding officer of 18th Armoured Car Regiment (12th Manitoba Dragoons). Later, Moncel was posted as the General Staff Officer 1 of the II Canadian Corps, where he reorganized its general staff. Here, he was made an officer of the Order of the British Empire
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
(OBE) and a chevalier of the Legion d'honneur
Légion d'honneur
The Legion of Honour, or in full the National Order of the Legion of Honour is a French order established by Napoleon Bonaparte, First Consul of the Consulat which succeeded to the First Republic, on 19 May 1802...
(receiving the Croix de guerre
Croix de guerre
The Croix de guerre is a military decoration of France. It was first created in 1915 and consists of a square-cross medal on two crossed swords, hanging from a ribbon with various degree pins. The decoration was awarded during World War I, again in World War II, and in other conflicts...
with Palme in the process). In August, 1944, he was promoted to brigadier general
Brigadier General
Brigadier general is a senior rank in the armed forces. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries, usually sitting between the ranks of colonel and major general. When appointed to a field command, a brigadier general is typically in command of a brigade consisting of around 4,000...
, the youngest ever Canadian to achieve that rank.
In the Normandy Campaign
Operation Overlord
Operation Overlord was the code name for the Battle of Normandy, the operation that launched the invasion of German-occupied western Europe during World War II by Allied forces. The operation commenced on 6 June 1944 with the Normandy landings...
, he was the commanding officer of the 4th Canadian Armoured Brigade
4th Canadian Armoured Brigade
As of 1942 the 4th Canadian Armoured Brigade comprised:* 21st Armoured Regiment * 22nd Armoured Regiment * 28th Armoured Regiment...
until the end of the war in 1945. During this, Moncel won the Distinguished Service Order
Distinguished Service Order
The Distinguished Service Order is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other parts of the British Commonwealth and Empire, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat.Instituted on 6 September...
(DSO) for his leadership of Tiger Group during the battle of Hochwald Forest, when the II Canadian Corps launched Operation Blockbuster
Operation Blockbuster
Operation Blockbuster was the completion of the larger Operation Veritable by the Canadian 1st Army, reinforced by the British XXX Corps. It took place in late February and early March, 1945...
Post-War
After the war, in 1946, he became the Director of the Royal Canadian Armoured CorpsRoyal Canadian Armoured Corps
The Royal Canadian Armoured Corps is the armoured branch of service of the Canadian Army, including regular force and reserve regiments.-History:...
. From 1947 to 1949, he was the Director of Military Training, Army Headquarters in Ottawa
Ottawa
Ottawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario...
. From 1949 to 1950, he attended the National War College
National War College
The National War College of the United States is a school in the National Defense University. It is housed in Roosevelt Hall on Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C., the third-oldest Army post still active. It was officially established on July 1, 1946, as an upgraded replacement for the...
in Washington, DC. From 1951 to 1953, he was the Senior Canadian Army Liaison Officer in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. From 1954 to 1956, he was the Deputy Chief of General Staff. From 1957 to 1958, he was the Senior Canadian Military Officer, International Truce Commission in Indochina
Indochina
The Indochinese peninsula, is a region in Southeast Asia. It lies roughly southwest of China, and east of India. The name has its origins in the French, Indochine, as a combination of the names of "China" and "India", and was adopted when French colonizers in Vietnam began expanding their territory...
. From 1958 to 1960, he was the Commander of the 3rd Canadian Infantry Brigade
3rd Canadian Infantry Brigade
First formed on 29 August 1914, the 3rd Canadian Infantry Brigade was a formation of the Canadian Army in both World War 1 and World War II. The brigade fought on the Western Front during the First World War, and in Sicily and Italy during the Second World War.-History:The brigade was initially...
at Camp Gagetown
CFB Gagetown
Canadian Forces Base Gagetown, referred to as CFB Gagetown is a large Canadian Forces Base located in southwestern New Brunswick.- Construction of the base :...
. From 1960 to 1963, he was Quartermaster general
Quartermaster general
A Quartermaster general is the staff officer in charge of supplies for a whole army.- The United Kingdom :In the United Kingdom, the Quartermaster-General to the Forces is one of the most senior generals in the British Army...
. From 1963 to 1964, he was the Commander-in-Chief Eastern Command. From 1965 to 1966, he was the Vice Chief of the Defence Staff. He retired in 1966 prior to unification of the armed services, which resulted in the formation of the Canadian Forces
Canadian Forces
The Canadian Forces , officially the Canadian Armed Forces , are the unified armed forces of Canada, as constituted by the National Defence Act, which states: "The Canadian Forces are the armed forces of Her Majesty raised by Canada and consist of one Service called the Canadian Armed Forces."...
. In 1967, he was the co-ordinator for Visits of Heads of State.
In 1967, Lieutenant-General Moncel was invested as an Officer of the Order of Canada
Order of Canada
The Order of Canada is a Canadian national order, admission into which is, within the system of orders, decorations, and medals of Canada, the second highest honour for merit...
. He died at Veterans’ Memorial Hospital, Halifax, Nova Scotia, on December 10, 2007, in his 91st year.